Octave-key mechanism



Aug. .19, 192A.

1,505,359 A. LOOMIS OCTAVE KEY MECHANISM Filed sept. 1'4. 192;

nisin.

Patented Ang 19, 1924i.

UNITED STATES ALLEN LDOTS.

ors Tonnen? GEIQ.

Application tiled September le, .1.321.

To all 'whom tmf-ig concern:

Be. it linoivn that l.` Airis n Loomis. a

citizen of the United tilts,l .7. 'resid at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and cat-ate oitY @hic7 have invented new and useful nr prove-ments in (lctave-lilcy Mechanism, ot which the following is a specilication.

rlhe present invention relates to ninsical instruments of the VWood Wind type; and particularly to an octave or register liey mechanism adapted to oboes to enahle the performer to place the notes emitted in either the lower, or the middle or the upper register. ln this particular description of. instrument tvv/o holes additional to the tone ioles and stoppers or covers to control them are provided near vthe month-piece end of the instrument, but. at diilcrent distances from such end, ot which one or the other alone must be opened When certain notes in 'the middle and upper registers., respeo tively, are played, and both et which must be closed when notes are played in the loner register. These holes are otl very small diameter and are liable .to become stopped by accumulation oit vWater and other foreign sulistances. hoe players experience more annoyance tro-in this canse than 'troni any other. To remove such obst the player ordinarily applies his the obstructed hole and sucks or lint betere `he can do so, he. innst remove the hole stopper Atroni the body et the instrnment .enough to leave a olea space around the hole. The rfiechanisnis previously used tor controlling these octave hole `stoppers have had Vtc be disassembled more or less completely in order to permit removal et the stoppers to the necessary distance.

The main obgects oit my invention tivoffold First, to provide means for operating` the octane or register hole .stoppers lmore conveniently to better effect than is possible with the -operating` mechanisms previously used, and second to enable they itoppersy to be easily inovec aside troni the holes Atar enough to permit application of the players lips thereto Without requiring' disinounting5` or disassembling ot the mecha- The first oi" these objects and the essential principles oi the means .which Serial Tio. 590,483.

have devised tor accomplishing it are stated and explained in my Patent No. 1,336,359

dated April (i. 192th and entitled Key mechanism Ytor Wood Wind instrument-s. So tar as that object and result are concerned, the invention herein described and t @ined is substantially identical with the mechanism Jtor the saine purpose disclosed my prior patent.

Vllhe vsecond main `object is accomplished bj: the combination With a inodilied itoiin of the octave key mechanism described in said patent ot a connection between the .ctave hole Stoppers and the means by which such stoppei's are pressed toward the body of the instrument, which is easily disergageable to permit the stoppers to be svnne' bacl entirclv clear ot the holes which they respeeyely cover.

The manner in which these objects are carried into effect and the principles ot the invention for which l seek protection broadly and in detail can be best explained in connection with a description 0l a specific mechanism embodying the invention, and 'tor the purposes ot such description attention is directed to -the drawings annexed to this specification which illustrate the Ylorin of the invention at present preferred by i e.

ln said drawinggst hig'ure l is a plan viev.7 of the niouthpiece end ot a. ohoe showing my octave in chanisin applied thereto.

Fioiire is an elevation ot the lett side. T e'ure Si is a Cros section taken on line o o of Figure Q looking in the direction of the ari-0W.

F o'nre 4i is view generally similar to re Q hat illustrating the position oit the mechanism when the thumb key is pressed upon.

cross section on line 5-5 of Figure e.

ligure is Figures 2 and e but showing` the position of the mechanism when both centrellinga view generally similar to keys are pressed vf f. Afreine is a` upon. cross section on line 7 7 side View similar to Figshoyving the stopper connecting lever oit the ineohuniein eisen its control erin und raised with the stopper clear of the bodj,Y of `he instrument.

Figure 9 is cross secion on line Ele-9 of Figure 8.

Figure l u fragmentary side View o tee connecting lever.

Figure il ilJ e cross section en line lil-ell oi Figure 2g Lilie ret/rence suine parts they occur.

10 represents the body of en oboe in which there ere two holes neer the lnoutlr piece endE which holes nre covered by stoppers ll and l2. rEhe stopper il is cerried erin 13 which turns freely upon u pivot rol le mounted 'n supporting` posts ancl?, rEhe other stopper 12 is eeriet` y un erin 18 which is al chereeters indicate the in ell ot 'the 'heures wherever so mounted 'to lf3-oid rey being;v pressed upon bv the knuckle of the pertorinei"s tingjer and celled t spatule but it muy be ot other eonftructimi end tyi e es shown in iny eforesr potent.

A floating' lever 2lj conin f the stopil-ei' l?) :ind itl, hns its 't' rerun] on n stud 22 onrriod by :in :11i-:u 23 which mounted to turn loosely on the pivot rod lil, but is inode tust to usleeve to which else secured uv second orni 2e. Tl

.ie ends ot 'th floating); lever 'e linked to the stop i per carrying' nd i8, preferably by in isions 27 (shown dotted in Figures il und (5i on the ends ot the lever which enter ooinplenientnl socle ets in the adjacent stopper urins, These. coupling.;` extensions ere so tted :is to permit iiree nrticuluted movement ot the stopper urnis und floating; lever about :rires et right angles to one onruzhern without ohjeetioiuible looseuess otherwise,

second pivot rod is niounted in posts 99I` 30 und 3l parallel to the rod le and thereon :ire rotatably inoun' end 'l'l. The sieere between posts S() und Bli if un erin 3l which underlies the and enters e socket 3T in the adjacent side of seid lever. needle spring 3S is fit-led et one end in the post 30 end extends per allel to the sleeve its other end beingengaged with a hook on said sleeve in -fi manner cornnion with instruments oit this type This spring` verts 'torce yieldingly in the direct-ion which cruises presser erin 3G to press on the floating lever toward the instrument body l0; end it entends ter enough toward the post 29 to insure that .it will not become disengaged trein 'the hook when the sleeve 33 inoved up to seid post. fr linger extension fr() is torined :is o part of the presser erin and is so arranged than' upon beine` presed toward the body ot the instrument it will raise the presser erin; end also that it vill eet es a stop against the boe y oli the instrument to prevent the presser beinKW raised high enough to derange or perinit der( j nient ot the inechenisrn.

:lt the side ot the socket 37 toward the f A-truinent body is it ledge or ubutinent all (ltigures S und l0) against which the end oi the presser erin is normally held by the spring; but disenejue'enient of the presser nrni trom this abutment is inude possible by ineens of :i chunnel i2 runningtroni the eeoe ot the ever und entering the side olI the socket. ri. shoulder ifbetween the the lever port wey throiurhv` but it muy be toi-med as open notch find the recess 2T muy be :i lateral extension ot such notch. the abutment und shoulder thou being.' :i lioolviile projection bouwliug; the under side of the extension. ln etlect the socket and its entrance chfuinel Ytorni n buyouel. lioint slot 'from which the ivnesser erin muy be disengaged by first ret-isidel it cle r ol'v the shoulder between the ubutinent und channel and then inovingij it endwise towerd 'the post For thus rz'iisiupj the :erin pressure is applied Cowerd the body of the instrument on the 'linger it()i Roelie `1gement olf the :trui with the lever is etfeotediby nioveinents in the reverse order to that described When the presser erin 3G is coupled to the floating lever7 es is the case when the instruinent is bein/ ij pluyed. it is cuused by the spring 38 to close both Stoppers unen the octere holes :it the suine time holding; the lrey er spatule 2O in its depressed position.`

thfit is, the position neerest the body ot the instrument and holding` the thuinh kev raised. By the terni r ised in Connection with eitiier of the ,.,reys or stopners l meen the position in which they lire disnleeed, troni the bodv oil the instrument und Joni which they ere adopted to he moved toward the body#` regardless of tho direction of suoli llt) displacement With respect to the horizontal plane; and the 'terni depressed ineens in the sarne connection the position or inoxy nient ot the key or stopper nearest to or Werd the body.

For playing ell notes in the lorfer r both sto Jpers must be clos ing,` notes in the second downward the hole Covered by must be opened7 end `tor playing ell notes above in the second register, the hole coyere'd by the stopper ll inust be pened. ln eeeh cese Where one oit the oc Je holes is open, the other inust be closee. llheu the thuinh key 35 is pressed upon, the Wiper Sil, acting' through the erin sleeve and erin 23, raises the lul/ruin ol the Fleming lever, and so raises the stopper l2', since the stopper ll is held closed by the presser. rThe L l key is then raised also, owing to its rigid connection with the stopper l2. '3 While the thumb key remains depresse@ t key Q0 is also depressed, the stopper 'le closed and the floating lever F21 rocked about its raised fulcruin, raising The key 2O projects so ter t i i hole key 44, which is wor reu ,y

linger ot upon by the knuckle of th pressure is maintained by the rthe key t; thence both key raised, the linger n easily oe that key over upon the spatule releasing1 the letter..

A valuable feature et tlie which l ineke claim :is thus ff' key is released.i the stopper are automatically depresse; by the spring'r This condition i untoward etlect following trein pressure -ie ing unintentionally eppliedby; l i on the spatule when ule i*y lower register. pureieulurl in pussin` ,Lr im G to A, which requiresthe third linger ot the lett. hand to be raised. Due to the poor muscular control of that tingen the i r former unconsciously r i cks his hand when lifting); it. but even thou in file irr so he should accidentally press on the roetule7 neither octave hole'would be e'lect the thumb key Were depresiee :1t timeL Throughout the rniddle enl registers the thumb key relly by the thumb, which has lio other to per-torre, and the spe i tendsto be raised, by tnes fore tie sanie character peroriners lefthan'd in in the'rniddle repgisl; vbedepreseed7 which gives the r sired of closing' stopper l2 en errer W h en enyehstruction which leeres the parts 'o stopper ui the tloutiug il) oiuth'eljy ree troni conother )eri ot the instru e pivot rod l '1l-: about which e tiuir 3j may then be enough to leure the octa.y

:implication to thein oiI l deseribefl x, nA

is j irori-led on 4 intezloek with the strung); b :zri'u e has oe n from tbe touting lerer. lool C L o' luf on the sleeye lw i l which con ,A i perl rib t6 on zirin disengog'ed fr Joni Figure ll ot the presser is D' lever. As appears adje-cent to the end ot the locking ni when tie oppers ure closed wher ,b

l it 's possible to more the presser tree .i K into und lever in out ot onnectioii with the lloetn the ine ne described. lllhen the stoppers l ie rib und lue' frerloeking presser troni being; accidenposition which confuse the performer when o rece unectv it 't i. the, :tfoziting merhriu isni Without den he rein;

modifie her-'aiu dmoribeiA pui-terry om the end n l Qo 't the inye 2 '3e f|..j or Without ui tions in 'torni to nur other 'instriuue uses which they ire @dented to serre 'the nii.' elsiiu'fs. lo all sich instru-- nieuts to iii-eh pril ples oit is iuveution :i re epplicul la holes uid Stoppers equivnleut the octeye holes und their Stoppers I l n' Drovileil.

dettuition lY mieziud the ureehm paw..

scope f descgr-il'rerh :ire A et more eeuw-ir 'to designate suoli. holes riisu'is :tor controlling then by the term ister."

l'llliet Gleim end desire to secure by lietiero 3;"5 tent is t ineelwnisin eoniprisinuv y d with one of in? lever articulated to fs. .fr second key opereely associated ie lever to and Adress tl e tule/ruin theleof, and spring rt depressing torce upon the Her ineehmisin comprisingv irstriunent body if trro etopoers cover- .find mounted upon seid o1 beine; raised end eed iziitli both o?? support for seid lever hier ,fl rulcriun mounted with capability of being raised and depressed., a spring acting upon said lever and at a point between said ulcrum and one ot the stoppers and exerting force toward the body, a linger key having engagement with the other of said stoppers, and a second key arranged and cooperating with said `tulcrum support to raise the latter when pressed upon.

3. A register key mechanism for Woodwind instruments comprising the combination with an instrument body having tone holes and octave holes and a key for one of the tone holes, or' two Stoppers respectively cooperating` with the octave holes, an intermediate lever in articulated connection with both stopA ers, a key connected with one of said Stoppers and extending with near approach to said tone hole key whereby to be operable by the same digit of the performer which operates said tone hole key, a spring arranged to apply stopper closing pressure upon the lever, a YFulcrum support for said lever between the aforesaid specified octave hole stopper and the point ot application ot said spring, and key operated means arranged and adapted to raise said ulcrum support under pressure from another of the pertormers digits.

a. A. register key mechanism 'for woodwind instruments comprising' the combination with the instrument body having octave holes ot two stoppers cooperative with said holes, spring means normally holding both stoppers closed, and two keys coupled with both stoppers so arranged that when one key is pressed upon one of the stoppers only is opened, and when the second key is pressed upon during` maintenance of pressure on the tirst key, the other stopper is opened and the Vfirst opened stopper is closed.

fr register key mechanism for woodwind instruments comprising' the combination with the instrument body having two octave holes, ot Stoppers respectively cooperating with said holes, a floating lever articulated to both Stoppers, a movable ulcrum on which said lever is pivotally supported, a key connected with said 'ulcrum in a manner enabling it to alter the distance of the fulcrum trom the instrument bot y, when pressed upon, a second key connected with one of the stoppers, and spring means arranged to exert 'torce tending to close said stoppe/rs,V

@Tin a wood-wind instrument having tone holes and octave holes, Stoppers for the respective octave holes, a key connected to one of said stoppers and extending into such proximity to one ot the tone holes that it may be pressed upon by the knuckle of a ringer whose tip is placed over said tone hole, a coupling member engaged with both oi' said stoppe-rs, a second key, a spring organised to act on said coupling member, the

key being arranged to raise the coupling member between the stoppers when pressed upon and the spring arranged to exert force toward the instrument on the coupling member at a point between the secon-d stopper and the point at which the action of the second key is transmitted to the coupling member.

7. A key mechanism for wood wind instruments comprising two stoppers, alever extending between said Stoppers and articulated to both, a ulcrum support on which said lever is mounted and being arranged tor swinging movement about the same axis with the stoppers, a spring actuated presser disconnectedly engaged with said lever arranged to apply force thereon toward the instrument body, a key, and a disengageable pressure transmitting member between said key and Jrulcrum support arranged to cause raising of said support when the key is pressed upon.

8. ln a musical instrument the combination with a hole stopper pivotally connected with the body of the instrument, of a presser having a detachable engagement with said stopper, a spring acting on said presser causing it to apply force on the stopper toward said body, a key, and a stopper lifter connected with said key and having engagement with the stopper which engagement is positive only in the direction away from said body, whereby upon disconnection of the presser from the stopper the latter is left free to be swung away from the body.

9. A musical instrument having a lateral hole and a stopper pivotally mounted upon the body of the instrument to close and open said hole, and an operating mechanism for said stopper adapted to be readily disconnected therefrom whereby to permit wide swinging movement of the stopper away from the hole far enough to permit application of the players lips thereto, said mechanism comprising a spring-pressed arm mounted on a ditferent axis from that of the stopper and a key operated arm also on a different axis from that of the stopper, the irst-named arm being arranged to apply force on the stopper toward the body and being laterally shiftable to a position wherein it is unable to apply such force, and the key operated arm being arranged to apply lifting force to the stopper and being otherwise unconnected therewith.

10. A. musical instrument having a lateral tone hole and a stopper pivoted on the body of the instrument and movable to close and uncover said hole, a presser pivotally connected to said body on a different axis tc that of the stopper and being also displaceable in the direction of said axis, a spring acting on said presser tending to move it toward the body, an abutment associated with the stopper arranged to receive the pressure of said presser when the latter is in one limit of its aXial displacement and to be clear of the presser when the latter is in the opposite limit of such displacement, and a key having means for raising the stopper but being otherwise unconnected therewith.

ll. A key and stopper mechanism for wood wind instruments comprising a plurality of stoppers pivoted on substantially the saine axis to the body of the instrumentl` a lever articulated to both Stoppers, a tulcruin support carrying said lever and pivoted on substantially the same axis as the stoppers, said lever having an interior abutment facing away from the body and an angular channel leading from one edge of the lever to said abutment, a presser arm pivotally mounted on an axis parallel to the previously mentioned axes and also being movable lengthwise of its axis, said presser being adapted to pass through said entra-nce channel by virtue of pivotal and axial movement-s and come to bear on the abutment, a spring arranged to urge said presser toward the body, a key having an engagement with the fulcrum support for raising the latter and being otherwise disconnected from the Stoppers and lever, and a second key rigidly connected with one of the stop pers.

In testimony whereof l have atlixed my signature.

ALLEN LGOMIS. 

